Welcome to empatheias' test drive meme. This test drive is to help interested players test their characters in the game's environment. We've included a few prompts that incorporate specific elements of the game, though you'll find all of them have a lot of leeway for players to get as creative as necessary. Before diving in, here are a few things we'd like to remind everyone about the game in general:

Date reminders.Reserves open Saturday, March 25 and Applications (Canon | OC) open a week later on April 1st.

OC Reminder! Just a quick reminder that original characters are allowed. Those interested can also use the test drive. OCs do not need to be reserved.

Emotions are key! Empatheias' premise focuses on how anyone's emotions can affect their environment, be it big or small. While not every emotion will cause a reaction, significant ones definitely will. How much effect a character will have will ultimately be up to you, the player. Also, while we're giving a lot of leeway for the test drive, keep in mind that there will be some limits in the actual game.

Everyone has an amulet. All characters have a unique amulet that is specialized for them. It will contain all of their emotion drops and it serves as the network device. Remember, communication is telepathic. Otherwise, it works basically the same.

Assume the character is already in the game. Because "OMG WHERE AM I IS THIS REAL LIFE" threads aren't going to be very helpful in this test drive! Plus those are going to happen in-game, anyway. So to make things easier, just assume that they've been around at least a week or so. Still learning the ropes, but not a complete "first day" experience.

First or third person allowed. Your threads can be in either first or third, but we'd advise being flexible about it. Remember, these threads can also be used in your application for samples! Reminder: We only require one sample and it can be done in either format. We have also made a change to our sample requirements, so look over the Applications page!

Now with that out of the way, here are some prompts you guys can work from!

PROMPTS

• Prompt A: How about giving the emotions a try?

• Prompt B: Refer to the Task Board and choose a task your character may be interested in taking up. For this prompt, you could have your character ask for help, already be in the middle of the job, or react to it in some way. Perhaps they were an unfortunate victim or want to create a job countering an existing one. You could even have a prompt making a job request. Creating jobs for the purpose of the test drive is absolutely doable.

• Prompt C: How about giving the amulets a go? Start a telepathic conversation and see how it works. Remember, the amulets are sending out the owner's thoughts so might want to be careful about how the stream of consciousness goes...

• Prompt D: The Flower Festival is soon, and that means that a lot of caterers, cooks, restaurants and anyone involved with cooking are gearing up to participate in the celebration. This means that there’s plenty of places that are offering food at enormous discounts, or running food related events outside of their stores. One particular setup is in the center of the market area, where tables upon tables of food have been set up as a sort of buffet: pick what you want and pay as you leave! Unfortunately, someone mischievous has created a real problem. The buffet has turned into an all out food fight and it doesn't look like it’s stopping anytime soon...

Join In. If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Might as well join the fun since it’s happening anyway, and you’ve probably already found yourself victim to an errant pizza slice or something already. Grab a handful of whatever is nearest you or pick up a spoon and get that food flying!

Pay up. The fun can only last so long, and none of the vendors are happy. While the food fight has been broken up, the place is still a mess. Participants and people caught up in the crossfire are all being blamed equally. Grab a mop and a dustpan and get cleaning. Or, try and argue your way out of being taken to the local enforcers station and given a hefty fine.

• Prompt E: It’s already spring, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t people who are still interested in a few last minute winter escapades. Luckily, with cores and emotion fueled dunamis, things like this aren’t exactly off the table yet. A small portion of Lake Niras has been turned into a winter wonderland, down to a thick layer of ice that’s almost strong enough to be skated upon. However, this isn’t what it’s being used for. The local Polar Bear club has decided to hold a springtime version of their usual event and currently has open registration for those who think they’ve got the willpower to take the plunge in the icy water.

Dive Deep.Strip down to your skivvies or don a bathing suit and jump in! The challenge is to stay in the longest of 4 or 2, or to just beat your personal best. In lieu of joining up yourself if you don’t feel like freezing your tush off you’re more than welcome to lead the cheerleading team!!! ... Who are all dressed as different interpretations of Sosyne...

Maintain The Cold. Those who aren't the participating kind might find themselves attracted to the more “Stage hand” like portion of the club event. Those who have practiced dunamis, the art of using your emotions to create all sorts of manifestations under control, might be able to help maintain the frigid temperature in the air that’s causing the snowfall. Or, if you’re just a really negative person you could be unintentionally making it worse. Otherwise, there’s always a need for a few extra hands at rotating the frozen water cores which are helping keep the water particularly icy. Just be careful and try not to get too excited or you’ll melt the cores!

• Prompt F: Ghost tours have become all the rage in Verens, and tonight you find yourself coming along, either willingly or by having one of the organizers pester you into it. But being a guest isn’t the only way to participate—they’re taking volunteers to “assist” as well, to help spice things up and improve the mood. Harness your emotions to make the atmosphere more sinister, or just hide in some bushes or around some corners to surprise someone with an old-fashioned “boo!”

Sewers Dark and dank, the tunnels underneath the city are already a good place to scare or be scared. The tour takes characters through a lesser-used portion of the sewers, meaning it’s slightly less smelly, but there’s still plenty of opportunity for spooky stories. Don’t get caught by the mossgator or the restless spirits of its victims...

Inside the Memory Tree The giant tree that stands in the city’s square hasn’t always been a safe place, especially the dungeon-like spaces inside. The twisting wood and vines have been home to all sorts of monsters that have been a threat in the past, from moving plants with sticky vines to shadow creatures with sharp teeth—or so the tour guides will say. The tree may not have been around long enough to have much history to it, but that doesn’t stop them from playing it up.

Abandoned Buildings

Always a necessity for any ghost tour, this leg of the trip will take characters past and through a few rundown places, including an old warehouse, a creaky mansion, and a set of dirty apartments. Don’t forget all the dark alleyways in between, or the stories of long-past serial killers who choked their victims to death right over there…

• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include maraschino cherries and/or knives.

For your threads, put the Character Name and the Canon in the subject line to help readily identify them. You're also welcome to use more than one prompt for respondents to choose from. If you have any questions or want to brush up on the game information, refer to the Game Information entry. Otherwise, tag around and have fun!

Elize Lutus | Tales of Xillia II

[ Get me out of here; Prompt D-1 ]{It wasn't long until Elize came back (once again), but once she found out the Flower Festival was around the corner, she couldn't help but get excited. She'd always been a fan of these festivals, but the Flower Festival was especially fun. She enjoyed all of the activities going on and all of the different kinds of food they could find there, which really helped when she was trying to get her bearings again. Having that familiar event go on again helped with evening out all the differences there were by now.

She was just enjoying some of the food that was set up when a plate of food came her way, hitting her back before falling to the floor. It happened so fast that she didn't know how to react.}

Hey! That was rude! {That doesn't stop her from throwing food back though. Too bad the person she was aiming for ducked behind someone else as a shield. She instantly felt bad.}

Oh no! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean.... Are you okay? {Already looking for something to help clean up the mess she made. Unless, you know, they decided to retaliate.}

[ Grounded right after she got back; Prompt D-2 ]{Well, as much as she shouldn't admit to, she actually had a lot of fun after getting past the fact that someone threw food at her and she was now caked with food. She definitely needed to clean up after this, but not before getting caught red handed with food in her hand.

She had just recently come back and he was -- no doubt -- going to be grounded already. Great. That's not exactly the best welcome home gift to receive. It was only a matter of time until Alvin and Presa found out about this. Still, even knowing this, she knew she'd better help clean up. For one, she wasn't going to get away and two, she didn't feel right about partaking and not taking responsibility for her actions; she was slowly getting more mature. So with all the excitement dying down, she was going around helping the others who got stuck cleaning with their duties.}

I'm sorry to get you into this mess... {Even if it wasn't her fault directly.}

[ Somebody help this poor girl; Prompt F ]{She may have been a bit older than when she first met the others, but she was just as naive in many ways. Case in point, being forced to join in these ghost tours did not help her well being. And they had to drag her to a creepy looking abandoned building to boot. This house seems to have seen better days and as much as she tried to talk her way out of this creepy old place, there she was standing in an old abandoned house, said to be haunted.

People could tell her that ghosts weren't real, but what was that eerie feeling that someone -- besides those with her -- was watching her? Okay, okay... As long as the others were still with her, she would be okay.

Wait... Why was she all alone? Did she get left behind?}

H-Hello!? Is anyone there?!

{Her emotions didn't help when they just made the eerie sounds and sights that much more exaggerated. Aside from the normal sounds, she'd occasionally hear the creaking of the wooden floors as if someone was walking around. It could be the others.... or it might be something else, but she decided her best bet was to follow the sound in hopes that it was some of the people she'd come in with.

Wielding her staff, just in case, she inched down the house hallways hesitantly. That's when she heard the creaking get louder.}

I-Is somebody there? Please come out!

{But there was no answer, just louder creaking until she started smacking whatever was coming her way. She'll apologize once she realize it was just another person roaming around. Please forgive her for wildly swinging her staff around.}

F

[Okay, so maybe Anise had joined the ghost tours because they seemed like a good way to make money, and she wanted to get ideas.]

[And maybe part of the fun for her was trolling people and seeing their reactions.]

[But did that mean that she would take advantage of somebody else being left behind? Somebody who was clearly alone and terrified?]

[You bet it did.]

Boo!

[Elize will find that she's no longer alone, because there's a giant animated stuffed bear (?) in the corridor with her. In daylight, the thing would probably still be terrifying, with the uneven stitches, mismatched fabric, and demon button eyes. In a haunted house? This is the stuff of pure nightmares.]

[Anise is there too, of course, but she's taking advantage of the darkness to hide behind Tokunaga, and provide fitting narration.]

I'm the ghost of stuffed animals past! I stalk the corridors of this haunted house, and eat children who become separated from the tour groups.

Oswald Baskerville | Pandora Hearts

[Soft spoken, a few shadows gathering at Oswald's feet as he watched them for a moment, gaze tracing the outline of large wings fidgeting underfoot. Head tilted to one side, curious as a few black feathers popped into existence. Fondness was there, causing a few of those black feathers to tint red near the tips.

Yet what he had spoken to was another winged creature, perched on his shoulder, trying the snatch a bit of popcorn from between his fingers. A box of it in his other hand]

This isn't for you. [A displeased croak from the raven, beak clicking, even as it tried again. Still, there was a faint smile at the bird that decided he'd be a proper perch, temporary companion that it might have been.]

G[There was a slowly building pile of maraschino cherries being placed on a plate, picked from some sort of monstrous dessert that had been placed on the café table in front of Oswald. Carefully plucked as he was trying not to make something of a face.

Reminded him too much of something else, he'd even tried one and. No. No. Not going to eat those, they could go there and... well.]

G

[ 'Don't be a picky eater' -- he remembered being told that when he was younger. These days, Mikumo was the kind of obnoxiously straitlaced person who'd clean his plate even if it contained something he didn't like. But maybe this fellow wasn't a fan of sugary fruit? ]

Velvet Crowe | Tales of Berseria

[With the knowledge that these things allow people to communicate with others and that she doesn't have to show her face, Velvet is merely projecting her thoughts to the network.]

I'm looking for information on the city of Shaarnath. Anything you can tell me about it from the monsters outside the walls to what life is like down there, how our emotions have an effect on the world in comparison to being in this place. What, exactly, would it be like for someone to live down there instead of in Verens?

[That's it. That's the message.]

D2 - If you want it done right, do it yourself

[The minute food had started flying, Velvet immediately moved so that she wouldn't end up splattered with it. Trying to get food out of her hair was an absolute nightmare. However, she hadn't gotten away fast enough and now there was a broom shoved into her hands. An eyebrow rose at the vendor and it was exactly the sort of thing that she would typically avoid if not for...]

You, get out of the way. I'll do it myself. [Velvet is now pointing her broom at someone attempting to clean up this particular mess. From her particular spot she could easily see how they were missing a spot and is moving in to make sure it gets done properly.] If you miss a spot, you'll attract all sorts of animals. Eventually the food will rot and start to smell. You have to clean it right the first time or you'll regret it later.

F3 - It's all an act, right?

[Honestly, there wasn't much here that would frighten this particular woman so she doesn't bother trying to "brave" her way through it and instead ends up as a volunteer to do the scaring. Something she could do easily enough. While she avoids the smellier option of being in the sewer, Velvet does move through the abandoned buildings - the alleyways. There's a chill in the air and there's something drifting through the air that one may mistake for snow but is more along the lines of ash without the mess.

She can't be seen as of yet but there comes the sound of something scraping along a wall. One will clearly be able see where a large set of claw marks have been dug deeply into the various structures and in the streets. A freezing wind sweeps through the alley and urge the participates onward until they reach a crossroad. Out in front of them steps Velvet. She's positioned so that she's blocking the way forward along with the left path which leaves only one road to continue onward.]

This part of the city belongs to the Lord of Calamity. Those who dare trespass are forfeiting their lives. [The cold wind picks up and her hair along with her coat flutter but she doesn't doesn't look effected even though she's not wearing much. Velvet raises her left hand to reveal the entire arm is bandaged, more ash-like sweeps in and block her from view for a mere moment. Looking back that left arm has transformed and now appears huge - red and black with sharp claws. The arm is raised and clenched into a fist, her gold eyes narrow as she glares at the participates over it.]

Have you come to be consumed?

[Now that arm is extended, not touching, but deadly claws are pointed towards the participant.]

no subject

I would not waste food so carelessly-![The silvery white haired man argues vehemently with one of the vendors. But when a broom is shoved within his hands, and the authorities threatened, he growls in frustration, before deciding to help aid in the effort of clean up.

He brushes off a bit of the vegetables that had struck his robe earlier, before aggressively sweeping the floor. His dragon's claw helps aid in the speed, but that's when he- accidentally splinters the top of the broom.

... Oops?

When he glances up, his eyes lift to find a woman angrily pointing a broom at him. To begin, he thought it might have had to do with the now broken equipment, but instead it seems... he missed a spot.]

Ah- [He blinks, and steps aside as directed, while she moves forward.] I apologize. I hadn't realized.

Francel de Haillenarte | Final Fantasy XIV

prompt b, st0308.[it's not really the strangest thing he's ever considered doing for money — or at all really — but one way or another, francel is now crossdressing to infiltrate a tea party. perhaps you're going in with him, or maybe you've just been helping him get ready! either way, he steps out of a changing room wearing a skirt, a wig, and some heels... and he's... really... kind of distressingly convincing.

he clears his throat with a kind of deep coughing sound, and then speaks in a slightly breathier voice than usual:]

Well? Do you suppose I might fool a woman?

prompt d.[it strikes francel as a dreadful waste of victuals, but who is he to stop an entire town from having a food fight? he sees where things are headed after the first thrown pie, and — with as much ishgardian dignity as he can muster — very smoothly grabs a plate of dessert and slips beneath the nearest table, planning to simply eat until everything is over.

as it turns out, you are beneath the same table; he brushes against you as he crawls underneath, and he murmurs something that might be i'm sorry, sliding back in an attempt to give you as much space as possible. once settled, francel smiles apologetically and half-raises his plate of cake in a mock-"toast."]

My apologies — is there room for me here? My frame is ill-suited to hiding beneath tables, I know...

[he's 6'7" despite his baby face, so in all likelihood, it is a little cramped.]

D

[At least the person he's sharing space with doesn't take up much room at all. But projectile foods are dreadfully dangerous for a pixie who could get taken out by a flying dinner roll.

But oh my! Whoever this is strikes Tinkerbell as very fascinating. She's seen people before, even tall people, but never anyone with ears quite that shape. It's taking every ounce of self-control she possesses not to reach out and touch them to satisfy her curiosity.

She flits back and forth, trying to take in everything she can, leaving a thin stream of pixie dust to flitter down in her wake.]

Mamoru Chiba | Sailor Moon

[ Still getting used to things, Mamoru has taken comfort in a little book shop in the merchant's square that offers a wide variety of reads and studies-- some that he's never even seen before which, all things considered, isn't that unbelievable with being in an entirely different world of sorts.

Almost daily, he's taken to sitting under the clock tower in the center of the square and engrossing himself in whatever books he may find there; it's been something to do and has allowed him time to try and process everything here while reading up on whatever he can. Today, he's back at the shop-- fingers trailing along the spines of the books, hoping to maybe find something that might pique his interest and keep his mind off other things. But with fate being fate, or perhaps his own mind reaching out in silent attempts to seek something familiar, he comes across a book regarding stars and the sky with a full moon painted on the cover of the book.

Gently, fingers tap at the book's cover as he holds it within his hand and stares in silence to the full moon. There's a pull at him from within-- a longing and it's not one, not two, but three drops of water that pat against the book's cover suddenly. ]

Hm?

[ With a glance up, Mamoru notices a gentle rain shower that has suddenly happened outside... but it's only surrounding the shop, the rain not touching any other part of the square.

It's the birds helping themselves to a bath in one of the puddles nearby, hopping and splashing about in it, that causes Mamoru to smile then. ]

Well, at least someone is enjoying the rain.

PROMPT D-2.

[ He's never seen such a mess in his life surrounding food... not even with the combined efforts of Usagi and Chibiusa in the kitchen and that could very well be saying a lot.

While not having been directly involved himself, he can't just leave such a mess to the vendors to clean up and so Mamoru offers to help in any way that he can. His task is to go around with a garbage bag and pick up any mess that's littering the ground. From cups, to plates, to utensils, to food cartons, he makes sure to grab every one that he comes across, tying the bag and dropping it with the others in the pile off to the side before he grabs another empty bag to start all over again.

A playful gust of wind hurries itself by and the cartons that Mamoru has collected in his hands fly out almost instantly. With a bit of a chase after them, he finally manages to catch them before they drift too far away on their next adventure, nearly bumping into someone as he does, an apologetic smile given. ]

Sorry! Looks like these guys are trying to make an escape.

PROMPT G.

[ Speaking of that clock tower, that's exactly where Mamoru is. Sitting beneath it with a book in one hand, chin in palm, eyes cast downwards to the page he has said book open to. The world seems to more or less slip away from him whenever he's like this-- engrossed in his books. But it's the sudden shadow that casts itself over his page that causes him to glance up and he's... gifted with a can of something.

He straightens up, eyes blinking and fingers turning the can around to the front so that he can read the label. ]

Maraschino cherries?

[ He knows what they are but to be gifted them out of the blue like this, which... said gifter has suddenly disappeared from the looks of it.

With a glance around, Mamoru turns to the first person that he happens to see nearby, book having fallen shut in his hand, and smiles as he holds the can up to show. ]

I'm sorry, I don't really have much use for these. Would you like them?

A

[The burst of light rain is quick and sudden enough to have Chise scampering through the front door of the shop itself. Droplets of rain catch the light off her hair as she side steps out of the way of the door itself while she pauses to brush off what bit of rain caught her.

She catches Mamoru's words in the midst of this and can't help but turn slightly to the side, peering out the window curiously. The puddles are quickly becoming popular spots for the birds and Chise can't help a light laugh.]

Jarlaxle Baenre | Forgotten Realms

[What kind of emotions would a person like Jarlaxle convey while stuck in a world he's never been before? Confusion passed pretty quickly, evolving first into tolerable acceptance...

Then curiosity...

And then-

The explosion of rainbow colored bubbles should be proof enough that the brigand has been testing out these little emotional quirks here, and he's also learned another fascinating thing about them.

Popping them. Is loud.

Very, very loud.

The resulting BOOMS sound more like fireworks or thunder, and the drow has taken it upon himself to fill entire alley ways and corridors with fucking thunder bubbles.

SORRY.

NOT SORRY.

At least they're just LOUD.]

[PROMPT D-1]

[First of all, he likes good food. Good anything really, as long as it was good, and technically expensive, he was bound to enjoy it.

Second of all, he likes being an assh- puckish. An adorable prankster.

I mean that's probably not one is going to think when the decidedly obscenely clean drow seems to just pop into reality in front of some poor, innocent, random buffet goer with a handful of ambrosia and a grin like a fox.

D1

[Usually, when things were thrown at Maya (usually grenades or rocks from Bullymongs), Maya would simply lift a hand and stop the coming onslaught in its track with her phaselock. Back home, ambrosia would have been no exception to this tactic. Here, however, her calm and focus was split between the phase and her newfound emotional output.]

[Rather than catching the far flung food, instead a rather colorful burst of flowers appeared from behind the woman. Said woman and said flowers were immediately splattered by the goop. Her stormy gaze darkened all the more and fixed upon her target. She stormed forward and grabbed a slice of cake, curling it within her fist. Later she would lament the sacrifice of the confection, but for now she felt only the fury of a siren scorned.]

[Thankfully, while the new world had disrupted her powers, it hadn't done anything to her throwing arm. If she could peg a rakk at fifty yards with a grenade, then striking a man with cake wouldn't be hard at all.]

Mikumo Osamu | World Trigger

Prompt B;So this is a Task Board? It makes sense, having one in the center like this.

[ Mikumo adjusted his glasses and squinted up at the task list. ]

'I want to collect all the different candles'? 'For research'? That's... kind of a suspicious ad. '100 sylvs'? Er, how much is that? And what kind of a name is Candle --

Prompt F;[ The sewers. Why'd it have to be the sewers? And why hadn't he made that left turn at Albuquerque?

Mikumo had lost the tour group, and with the acoustics down here, he doubted he'd have an easy time finding his way back to them without incident. Instad, he trudged forward, trying to avoid as much as possible any muck that might cling to his clothes. RIP, sneakers. ]

Urgh... I hope I'm not stuck down here long. Are there parasites down here?

F

[she doesn't...mean to be sneaky, but Azura is good at being quiet. So when she answers, it may very well be the first time Azura is anywhere nearby. Who knows how she wound up here, maybe she got lost herself?

If she scares him, she'll apologize later.]

It's a sewer system... I suspect there may be a few. But the city drinking water is clean so perhaps we'll be lucky.

Azura | Fire Emblem: Fates (Revelation)

Prompt D-2[Azura might not have been involved in the food fight, but that doesn't mean she didn't somehow get wrapped up in the cleaning crew. Instead of her lance—which had been taken from her— she's holding a broom while standing in the middle of the mess, looking just slightly perturbed. If she was going to get stuck cleaning up a mess like this maybe she could have AT LEAST? Gotten the chance to participate? ...Hey, it could have been fun.

She turns to sweep up some muck, but a misstep lands one of her mostly bare feet slap in a pile of some kind of casserole. She exhales sharply and re-positions her steps. Gross. Even though her sudden shock and disgust seems to have kicked up a cold breeze around her, she does her best to focus and sweep up some of the muck. Eventually she turns to the nearest person with a dustpan and asks with her usual quiet tone]

Excuse me, would you mind helping me for a moment, if you don't have a cleaning partner already? [She's got quite a pile of food muck swept up together already. ...If they work together maybe they can leave sooner?]

Prompt E-1Oh... I don't know about this. I think I'll have to pass... [It's the middle of a conversation that Azura seems to be having with one of the Polar Bear members. Listening in further, it sounds like whoever it is is trying very hard to convince Azura to participate in the actual swimming part of the event. Azura is standing at the edge of the lake rather hesitantly, but seems to be standing her ground despite how insistent the club member is being.]

I really am not interested, but thank you. [It's now that she catches sight of someone nearby and she turns to them] It seems like they're short a contestant, and I'm not really interested in participating, would you mi— [mid sentence, a particularly large, BEAR LIKE member rushes past Azura and your character, shoving the songstress strong enough to unbalance her and send her falling towards the icy water if no one steps in.

Either she falls in, or perhaps your character can help her before she takes an unwanted icy bath?]

Prompt F-3[It seemed like a strange idea at first, but Azura isn't one to avoid something a little scary, considering she enjoys a good scary story herself. So despite not looking the part she was curious enough to join one of the tours. In particular, the Abandoned Buildings part of the tour seems the most rife for mischief.

Unfortunately for them, Azura didn't come alone, and somehow, one way or another they've wound up separated. It seems pretty innocent, but perhaps it was by design. Azura is anything but a malicious soul, so whoever she's currently planning to pop out and surprise, she must feel at least a little bit of fondness for them. She waits quietly, half crouched around a corner of a building, just behind a bush with a hand over her mouth. In the dark, her bright blue and white color scheme is probably harder to spot, so when her companion rounds the corner (looking for her, or aimlessly wandering) she pops out, hands splayed in the air playfully]

F!!

[It seemed like a good way to pass the time and get his mind off of things, when he heard about it, and even if he was a little daunted by the idea of going down into the sewers (ewwww), the rest of it seemed fun enough. This way he could take a look at the unique architecture of Verens, too—and things are better with friends, right?

At some point he notices that friend has vanished from sight, though—probably after he got too invested in examining the buildings and thinking about their construction—and while he's not too worried at first, thinking she may have simply lagged behind the crowd, his concern eventually starts to grow.

It's when he's really starting to worry (and the atmosphere around them has gotten more dim thanks to the collective emotions of the tour group) that Azura finally springs up, and he lets out a yelp, practically jumping out of his shoes as a crystalline crack echoes in the air.]

Waah-guhh!

[But then the blue hair registers, and though his heart is still pounding in his chest, he chuckles weakly with a nervous grin, a hand over his chest as his shoulders slump. He's trembling slightly thanks to the burst of adrenaline.]

Elsa | Frozen

( prompt b. )[ Elsa has never really worked a single day in her life, but that doesn't make her lose confidence. Everyday is a learning experience, and there's definitely a lot to be learned from taking upon a task from the board.

She eyes the tasks posted for the month, tapping her chin every so often as she wonders if it's a right fit for her. ]

Making flower crowns and modeling? It seems to pay well, too.

[ Someone please tell her about the repercussions…………. someone! ]

( prompt d. )[ All Elsa wanted to do was check out the events happening in the market area. She certainly didn't expect to get caught in the middle of a food fight.

If encouraged—or rather, if her sister were around—she would take part in the food fight, as well. It just isn't in her to let loose like this. Food is important, and not to be wasted. It also isn't becoming of a queen to partake in such acts.

Instead of joining in, she tries to calm down the roughhousers. It isn't working so well, though. There's just too many people tossing food around! ]

[Look, it's hard to get anyone to take you seriously when you look like a tiny waif of a child, and bearing a name/title like 'Childlike Empress' doesn't make things much better. Despite his asking for help around his store, he doesn't seem keen to letting Empress help. She looks baffled and mildly offended as the man puts some lollipops in her hands and shuffles her out the door again.]

I thought he wanted help?

[Prompt D.2: Food Fight Clean Up]

[She hadn't participated at all, but she had enjoyed staying off to the side and watching everyone else have fun with it. After everything's settled down, however, she's more than willing to lend a hand cleaning up!

Except she's really quite small, so it's proving a bigger task than it should be, but asking for help doesn't really cross her mind. There's a bunch of food items and fruit stuck up in some trees that'll just create more of a mess if let alone, so Empress has dutifully stacked some chairs and boxes and whatever else she could find to create a little ladder of sorts up to the branches so she could crawl up and clean up.

There are two options here: A catching her on her way up and trying to dissuade her from this, or B after she's up in a tree, her ladder falls away with a resounding crashing noise, leaving her rather, well. Stuck. Help. Send help.]

Rokurou Rangetsu | Tales of Berseria

[have a rokurou. now have a rokurou staring at the task board, trying to figure out just what it is he would like to do.]

Hrmm.... [he was muttering to himself, really.] There's lots of people that need performers, and entertainers... huh...

[oh wow, here's one that made him laugh.] Haha! How strong is the dog really?! Can't be that bad. [he wouldn't do it, either way, dogs are a no-no for him. and cats. but whatever.]

Prompt D-1;

[alright, so the food and drink was an excellent starting point, that much he could agree on. it was the next part of the buffet that really got his blood pumping. suddenly an all out war started! and of course he wanted to be in the middle of that absolute tornado of chaos.

rokurou had ran to the other side of the market, now diving behind a table. immediately he had flipped it over in order to create a sort of blockade against the barrage of food that was coming his way. he peeked over the top, only to see something come right at his head. he ducked! luckily, and it was then he noticed a plate of tipped over spaghetti beside him. time to form 0 these guys!!]

If that's all you have to offer then you ain't gonna beat me that easily!

[he called over the table, to no one in particular really, and he grabbed that handful of spaghetti and once he looked over the table he threw it as hard as he could. will you get a face full of food? or will you come and join him behind his wonderful barricade?]

D-1, spoilers may or may not happen

[Somehow, Velvet herself finds herself caught in this food fight of sorts, and while she normally doesn't have time for this and would avoid the heck out of it, Rokurou has made the dubious decision of throwing the said plate of spaghetti at Velvet, who doesn't quite get a faceful of food, but does get an armful of spaghetti stains and noodles hanging off her brand new gauntlet.

...Much to her chagrin, and if looks could kill, then Rokurou would've been dead ten times over. But all it does is cause the surrounding air to smell of burning fumes and sulfur, an uncomfortable heat emanating from Velvet as she grabs a nearby pie and approaches Rokurou.]

Well, here's what I have to offer.

[And with that, a fair few feet away, she throws the pie at Rokurou. With her daemon arm, still wrapped in bandages but nonetheless, is her daemon arm. Not waiting to see if it connects with Rokurou's face, she grabs another of the pies from one of the table, prepared to throw another pie in case it misses its mark.

And will be doing so again and again for the foreseeable future, unless of course Rokurou does or says something to change that.]

Fran Madaraki | Franken Fran

[Fran definitely doesn't look like someone ready to go adventuring and killing beasts, but she's managed to slide her way into the group anyhow... Probably without even asking anyone or anything, she just fucking showed up like she was always supposed to be here. She tilts her head from one side to the other, considering, and suddenly raises a hand to get attention]

I know we're supposed to be exterminating them, but... Would it be okay if we saved a couple? Preferably a breeding pair... I'd like to keep them to study. Besides, aren't they a little too cute to kill?

[This could be said about any of the creatures they're being sent to kill]

[There's bound to be causalities and all on an expedition like this. Not everyone can come out alive every time, right? And some poor soul has been apparently torn limb from limb or something, if the random arm dragging itself towards the town again is any indication--

Wait what?

Yep, that sure is a slender arm dragging itself around. It pauses and the hand writes 'come quick. Bring thread' into the dirt and waits. Do you follow it??

If you do decide to follow the arm (or pick it up and carry it and let it point out the way to go, which is the quicker method honestly) you'll come across one Fran.

Well, what's left of Fran. Various body parts seem to be flung around the ground, but Fran is still sitting with her upper torso propped up against a tree, her head half-hanging off, but smiling cheerfully]

Oh, good, someone came! Did you bring the thread? I have a needle but I ran out of the thread when I was sewing my head back on!

[This is fine.]

[Prompt D: Warning for more mild body/eye horror]

[Fran's really just trying to avoid being caught up in this herself, casually shoving bystanders in the way so they can be hit in her place. Dammit man, she's a doctor not a moving target!

Besides, her body's still recovering from her last adventure outside the city (probably the prompt mentioned above, honestly)!

[She claps a hand over the socket and is on hands and knees now, accidentally tripping people as she tries to track down the wayward eye. Maybe it's come to rest by your foot, maybe you're one of the people accidentally tripping over her as she crawls on the ground. Either way the eye has some good luck to avoid being stepped on this long]

Excuse me, please don't move so suddenly, I need to find it--! [She could always get a new one somewhere but, like, it's her eye thanks] It's going to get so dirty... [UGH!!]

Prompt B, Part A

[Somehow Velvet's ended up paired up with this individual to go monster-hunting. She didn't particularly care that another individual was tagging along, it honestly reminded her of the days when both Magilou and Rokurou had decided to follow her before either of them actually joined in the fight.]

Do what you want so long as you don't get in my way. [Of course she has her own agenda once they get there and it isn't to just exterminate the monsters.]

pretty fly(nn) for a white guy cecil | tales of the abyss

[Evidently, pretty desperate, if he's crossdressing to sneak into a woman's tea party. He's done a lot of crazy things in his life. Pretending to be a woman wasn't one of them. But he really needs this cash--- and evidently, has little dignity to part with. Or little shame. Or both.]

[Now, he's a pretty tall guy with a decent amount of muscle, and his features aren't exactly feminine. That, and his aversion to women means all his experience is from observation, in this case, it definitely isn't enough to save him. Here is now: hunched over to try to look dainty, wearing a very unflattering dress, and face caked in make up. Like, seriously caked. It's too much.]

[Now-- either you're catching him in the process of dolling himself up-- in which case he'll give you a very strained smile and mutter:] Don't ask.

[Or: you're also going to this shindig. As either a fellow crossdresser (if a guy) or a regular guest now probably scarred for life (if a girl). "Gal" keeps "her" distance from the women in the actual party, hiding that horrible splotchy face with "her" sleeve.]

[That is, until an actual woman gets a little too close and "she" gives out a very unladylike scream]

Aaauuugh! [Followed by a cough an attempt to put on a falsetto:] Oh... dear me! I apologize for the outburst.

[He's doing great]

D -> Food Fight;

[Now, Guy wasn't involved in the fight. He didn't so much as throw a meatball. But as a career manservant/nanny, he's used to cleaning up other people's messes. He takes up a broom and a dustpan with minimal complaints and a shrug, progressing at a very efficient pace.]

[Now, either you've been dragged into the clean up effort like him, in which case he offers you a friendly wave and a quick (but ominous) warning--]

I wouldn't step there. It's not all food stains.

[Or: you're not so cooperative, and the fuzz is looking to drag you away and fine you. In which case, Guy will speak up, despite the fact that he's a complete stranger]

--It's alright! This is a friend of mine. We were just about to start cleaning up.

[And hopefully that will be enough]

F -> Memory Tree;

[Guy's only barely paying attention to the tour. There's no fontech involved, so it's nothing to geek out over]

[Still, fake stories or not, it's a pretty impressive tree, so while the tour guides are spinning impressive tales (timshot), he leans back on the wood (which he shouldn't be doing!) and crosses his arms lazily. If anything, he'd like to climb from the outside and explore, but every single time he tries to sneak off he gets caught]

[So, he strikes up conversation (for the moment), instead, nodding over to you]

So. What kind of memories do you think are in this tree?

Wildcard;

[Hit me with anything! Or leave me a blank comment if you want another prompt.]

Tea Party; not the man I play here but omg Guy (also will avoid spoilers unless you're OK with them)

[Velvet isn't the tea party type of gal, but when she does, she cleans up pretty nicely, wearing a dress and a hairstyle appropriate for the occasion.

As for why she's here when she isn't the kind of person to be found in such an occasion under normal circumstances, let's just say someone by the name of Magilou put her up to it, along with the promise of information.

She's more or less bored out of her mind, not really minding where she's going when Guy's unladylike scream breaks through her thoughts when she gets a little too close. Raising a dubious brow at the decidedly unfeminine figure before her, she folds her arms and asks:]

Apple White | Ever After High

[Of course she volunteered to clean up, but she doesn't plan on doing it alone.]

All right, my little friends! If we work together, this will be done in no time! Ready?

[No, she's not talking to you. She's talking to the birds, mice, deer, and other forest creatures that have apparently come to her. She hums... and they... do nothing. Well, they do animal things, like sniffing the mess and grooming themselves, but they don't exactly help Apple out.]

... Oh, no. Um, please? Pretty please? We can whistle while we work! It'll be fun! ... Did I hum in the wrong key?

F-3

[Being helpless and frightened is essential for a damsel in distress. It's great practice for a princess! So Apple is touring the place while trying to work her best 'eeks'.]

Oh nooo! It's sooo scary! Where is the brave one who will rescue me?

[...except she doesn't sound scared. like at all. more like reading off a script. Instead of making the place scarier, it becomes kind of brighter and more cheerful]

D-2

[Cleaning duty isn't William's thing, but he was also caught up in the middle of this, so he has no choice but to go along with the whole mess.

Of course there is this strange girl here who is making things complicated with her animal friends and the idea that she can talk to them. Granted, the latter isn't strange since he knows an individual like that back home. But being a half demon has that perk. This girl doesn't seem to possess anything like that.]

...maybe they are just lazy. I know I would pretend to not comprehend if I was that bluebird there.

Deuce Gorgon | Monster High

So um. Like Dudes. Dudettes. Is this thing like... on? Like can anyone hear me? Well um. If anyone CAN hear me. Anyone know if like there's a sunglasses store anywhere? Or a Coffin Store? Like. My iCoffin is getting like. No service here what so ever and that's kinda lame. So yeah, answers would be awesome, my dudes... and dudettes.

D-1.)

[ Join in they said. Everything would be fun they said. Well everything's fun until a Gorgon loses their shades, then it's more like a Rock solid performance. ( HAH )

Deuce was on the ground crawling between tables with an arm over his eyes. His panic was clear as day, any food that seemed to cross over him ended up melting into a purplish goo. It was terrible! Everyone already seemed on edge with him around, he didn't want to make things worse by turning everyone into stone as well! He bumped into what appeared to be a pair of legs and let out a panicked noise. ]

Peri | Fire Emblem: Fates

[So it's not the usual kind of fight Peri is down for, and she would much rather be cooking the food than throwing it. But hey, this looks like fun.

What starts with Peri digging her hands into various bowls and dishes to throw clumps of food around escalates to her throwing whole fruits and vegetables that she grabs from the buffet. It was only a matter of time before she starts mixing knives, forks and other cutlery into her attacks. You might have dodged that apple flying right at you, but how about the spoon aimed at your face?

While all this is going on, Peri is laughing so hard her chest is starting to hurt.]

Wheehee!! By the time we're done it's gonna be hard telling the blood from the tomato sauce! That's a little sad, isn't it...?!

E + C

[So Peri has been watching people cycle in and out of the freezing cold water for a good half hour now. She's even been cheering on a few people, particularly those who look like they're about to get out to see if she can get them to stay in a few seconds longer. It's after a particularly intense round where all the participants look like they're about to freeze their legs off she starts thinking...]

Isn't turning red just so much cooler then going blue? Don't get me wrong, blue is great. But you just can't beat being covered head to toe in red! It's so bright and exciting... A lot warmer too, totally!

[Outside of that ever so slightly morbid line of thought, Peri can be found dressed up with a pair of fake fins on her arms as she really gets into the whole cheer leading thing.]

G

[So throwing food around doesn't make people happy. Throwing cutlery? Really doesn't make people happy. But do you know what's a tried and tested way to brighten people up? Treats! So here's Peri returning to the scene of the crime with only the best intentions in mind and a bunch of supplies in hand.

It takes some crying. And screaming. But she manages to commandeer a stall near the market area for her plan. At first she looks as though she's attacking the little shop with how savagely she's slamming and stabbing her knife into the stall top one moment, then whirling around knife in hand as she busies herself with the oven behind her for a moment... Eventually though she's churning out cherry tarts.]

Food fight left you feeling down?! Don't you worry, Peri has got you covered! These snacks are to die for... Well, not right now, but I promise you'll love them!

[Anyone brave enough to try a tart will find, true enough, that they taste phenomenal. What's more it's clear to see that despite her slight love of violence and bloodshed, Peri is enjoying every moment of this. There are red sparks and bubbles floating around her as she cooks, and each tart comes out of the oven glowing a beautiful shade of scarlet. She's yet to notice, but her emotions are helping to bathe the stall in a soft red light.]

Asbel Lhant | Let me tell you the Tales of Graces (Im so not clever)

C'mon! This is a waste of perfectly good food! What is the matter with you--!

[ SPLAT.

Asbel's face gets hit with flying food. He wasn't even sure what it was but it was disgusting and slimy and nope. Nope he has had enough. With a wicked grin, he grabbed food off the nearest plate and began throwing as hard as he possibly could. ]

You can't defeat The Great Asbel Lhant!

G

[ One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six... Six?! He was wandering around the shopping district when all of a sudden someone gave him a jar of cherries. Then another. Soon he had a whole arm full of them. It would have been rude not to take them, but... what is he supposed to do with all these jars?!

Well, he was hungry. So he sat down on a nearby bench with all the jars stacked on top of each other as he reached up to grab one. ]

C

You know. I've been thinking. [ Don't hurt yourself, Asbel. ] When was the last time any of you thought of a really good win quote? You know. Like something clever and snazzy to say right after you win a fight? A good phrase can make any match more rewarding...

Maybe something like... "HAH. YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD BEAT ME?!" No... that's a little too egotistical sounding. Maybe more like "The data said you were no match for me." urk, no that sounds too stuffy. [ He trails off and forgets he was even asking a question. ]

Azamat | Original Character

[Azamat was no stranger to acting as server - it had been one of his primary jobs before his creator died under 'mysterious circumstances' - but this was the first time he'd served tea that magically drugged the drinker depending on the server's emotions. It was fascinating, in a way - and taught him that even if he could fake emotions well enough to fool people, he couldn't lie to magical drug-tea, apparently.

While he smiled and chirped merrily at the customers, the tea could sense his deep seated hatred for them and responded accordingly. Azamat didn't know if he should be annoyed or not. Unable to fool magical tea. His sister would be laughing herself into an early scrapheap.

It did mean he served a pretty amazing tea, though, which also equalled good tips. A tea that generated the happy, fluttery feelings one got during courtship - he was assuming. He actually didn't know what love or romance felt like, but he could guess. The people liked the tea anyway, and so long as they didn't get grabby he didn't care.

But anyway... it was time to return to work. Customers couldn't serve themselves]

Here you are, customer! The tea that you ordered. I hope it meets your tastes... and, oh, don't pay any mind to side-effects that can range from anger, despair, manic happiness or in some cases inappropriate arousal. Please enjoy!

[Azamat snickered meanly from where he was strategically positioned behind a bit of cover (a low, wooden table), locking onto a new target. He wasn't really bothered about how wasteful this all was - he didn't eat human food, and if it didn't directly affect him, why should he care? - but he was concerned about getting any food splatter over his nice clothes. Hence why he was trying to hide and only taking potshots at people's turned backs or those who were otherwise distracted. Cowardly? Perhaps, but it was really fun! Messing people up was the reason Azamat even lived, okay]

B

[ Atsushi had come by on his way home from one of his task jobs. It seemed like such a lovely tea place. Well, that's what he heard anyway, so he figured it wouldn't hurt to try some of these emotional drinks.

Atsushi laughed awkwardly when Azamat came to give him his order and scratched the back of his neck. ]

Dracula | Dracula...

Ah-- but the use of telepathy is quite an unusual concept, is it not? [Though you may not be able to see it, one could certainly hear the almost seductive smile that was playing on his lips.]

But also one that could be easily abused. Tell me, has any such person done so? [Not that the "good count" would ever do such a thing. In fact he felt as though he had to add, as an after-thought.]

Out of curiosity that is.

Prompt D - The irritated bystander

[Dracula, being the proper gentleman that he is, wasnt so inclined to join in on the festivities as everyone else. He snarled and gracefully moved about, dodging a random pie, then grabbing someone next to him to take the prompt of a hail of fruit and vegetables. He was not having any of it, and made that very clear with the anger and annoyance written on his face.]

Cease this at once! I shall not be made a fool of!

Prompt F-3

Ah-- how truly...terrorifying. [Though he didn't look spooked in the least, in fact he seemed almost amused by their guide's attempts at horror. His calm smile never wavered in the least, even at the mention of some of the more gruesome aspects of the stories being told. Really, just who did they think they were trying to scare?]

This place almost reminds me of a number of places in my homeland. [Almost, that is. But nothing could be as horrifying as his castle, and his wives therein.]

Prompt G

[Out for a night on the town? A stroll through the woods, or just socializing? Well congrats, you've just run into a handsome, sharply dressed man. A bit of a weirdo on the surface, but also still charming in his own right. He was not opposed to escorting you to a more well-lit and more populized area either, in fact he might insist on it if you were wandering around somewhere more scetchy.

Speaking strange and sketchy, were those bone-chilling howls you just heard that of wolves? Or does your mind just write it off as local dogs barking and howling. They all sound the same, right?]

Ah, [He chuckled.] Children of the night. What beautiful music they make.

G

[His insistence to escort her is quite sweet. Despite her tendency to lean toward a late night schedule, she's come across a number of individuals who felt it unsafe to allow a lady to walk about alone after sun down. She had told him she was quite all right on her own, but he insisted, and in the end she's never disliked company.

Canting her head, she listens to the animals off in the distance.]

You think it might be wolves? [Curiously, before a smile tilts her lips up.] I'm not sure if they'd be this close to the city, but wouldn't that be something? Wolves are adorable!